The real difference is whether the “mid-majors” that made a run had talent that the coach was able to ride into the Sweet 16 or whether the coach got mid-level talent to play out of their minds when it mattered. At any level the most successful coaches are those that can get players to consistently out-perform the level of expectations that are based on the talent that is present. A coach that can get his players to do that, and is then coupled with the resources and recruiting appeal of a big-name school- well then look out.